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A Valentine's Day party with a purpose

HIGHLANDS RANCH - It’s Valentine’s Day and just about everyone at Fox Creek Elementary is having a Valentine's Day party in class. Just about everyone except for brothers Will and James Hopkins. They're checking in on the other parties just for a moment. They’re not collecting candy hearts, but rather basic medical supplies that have been donated by each classroom. It’s a partnership with Project CURE.

The organization has been around for 30 years and delivers donated medical supplies and equipment to people in need around the world. The amount of donations the boys are collecting is pretty overwhelming. The items? Pretty simple in this culture. They’re things like toothbrushes, Neosporin, bandages, tweezers, and tissues to name a few.

Each of them will be assembled into a kit. There will be about 40 kits from the school today. Last year Project CURE delivered over 6,000 kits in all. It’s amazing when you stop to think of the power of just one kit. “If you’re able to prevent the spreading of illness or disease because of something as minimal as soap, you’re actually saving lives,” says Julie Kreutz King, Project CURE Director of Kit Programs. “I think it’s nice that they get to have a perspective of what really is needed in the world and what they can do even at a young age,” says Sarah Hatfield, the PTO President-Elect at Fox Creek.

It's a practical lesson in love on Valentine’s Day. “I know that I’m doing it for a better cause than just to eat candy,” says student James Hopkins. Even if it means missing the class party - it was worth it.

A fairly new partnership between DCSD’s Prevention & School Culture team and Douglas County Teen Court coordinators is providing a new path for youth offenders. Additionally, Sources of Strength— now present in most DCSD high schools and some middle schools— is establishing a healthy culture and climate with the goal of catching youth long before they fall into unhealthy behaviors or consider taking their own lives.

Ponderosa High School student and wrestler Cohlton Schultz has just returned back from Athens, Greece to Colorado after becoming the first United States World Champion in 20 years in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Ponderosa Assistant Principal and Athletic Director, Tim Ottman led a 30-minute assembly Wednesday for Cohl, joined by Cohl’s parents, his coaches from the Olympic Training Center, his former Ponderosa wrestling coach (and current Assistant Principal) Corey McNellis, and current wrestling coach Tito Rinaldis.